The Warlock
by restlesspoet
Summary: Buffy and Xander are pulled into a whole other dimension in hopes of rescueing Anya and Dawn from a whole new pyscho hell god named Roxy and something much worse


_The Warlock_  
By: Melanie Stacey

Part 1  
1: Buffy ran at full speed at the Sunny Dale park. Making sure not to take her eyes off the vampire she was chasing after, the male vampire still in bumpy face mode zigzagged around a bench, thinking it would prevent the slayer from catching him. He was very wrong; she leaped over the bench with ease and knocked him into a large oak. She kneed his face and dragged him up ramming a stake in his chest, "tag your it," she smirked at the explosion of dust. Holding up her hand in a fist and coughing into it "stupid vampires, really not good for the sinuses." She felt good now flexing her shoulders; it was a good kill…not kill, slay. She heard the crunch of leaves behind her, gripping her stake tightly she whirled around "who the hel-? …. Huh?" A small black kitten gazed up at her with big, bright, green eyes.

Looking very curiously at her, Buffy being the fierce and powerful slayer that she was couldn't help but let out a lovingly heave of "awwwwwe." She got into a squat position and held out her hand "here kitty, kitty, kitty." Giving a clicking with her tongue as she called this out, the kitten merely turned it's back on her and strolled off. Buffy pouted "well fine then, I didn't wanna pet you anyway." She got up sighing watching the cat run off into the darkness before she headed back home.

She came in quietly, expecting all the lights to be out and Dawn off in bed...she was wrong. Placing her hands on her hips and glaring at Dawn, who was sitting on the couch absorbed in the television and eating junk food. Buffy said snippily to her "Why aren't you in bed? It's a school night, you should've been in dreamland 3 hours ago." Dawn who clearly wasn't listening continued to gaze at the screen "uh huh." Angry now Buffy walked over to the television and pulled the plug, Dawn gave an annoyed "hey! Whad'ya have to go and do that for? I was watching pay per view you know!" Buffy scowled at her and Dawn scowled right back, trying desperately not to lose this sibling fight.

Buffy simply replied "go to bed" and she added a final "NOW." Dawn carelessly dropped the popcorn bowl aside and marched upstairs, an extra loud thump every step she took. Buffy sighed and bent down to the floor to pick up Dawn's popcorn mess and took it to the kitchen. She wondered if she should even bother to call Giles tonight, nothing big happened, the most interesting thing about her night was well...the cat. She decided against it, if Giles asked about her night the next day she would tell of it but she needn't call him up so late for it. She took in the smell of her clothes "ugh" she ran upstairs for a shower and went to bed for the last remaining hours of the evening.

2: Giles glanced over at his clock, it was pretty late and Buffy hadn't called, he decided she must be busy with Dawn. He held his head; Xander and Anya were over, arguing as usual. Anya was complaining that all Xander cared about was getting orgasms and Xander turned a bright shade of red and shhhhh'd her. Giles mumbled in exasperation "can't you people talk about these private things in...private? Such as your home?" Anya blurted out "we can't, ants took over our home and now those bossy little men have kicked us out so they can kill them." Xander gave a sheepish grin "Don't worry though, we're not trying to bunk with you, we rented a hotel room, but we just thought you might need help with research or something." Anya muttered "you thought anyway."

Xander gave her one of those looks and looked to Giles. Giles got up solemnly and went to the kitchen at the sound of the tea whistle "well unfortunately I don't need help with research on account of there is nothing particularly extraordinary to research." Xander gave a defeated look, "well O.K. I guess we'll go then." Giles nodded his head in approval "yes please do." With that they both walked out of Giles apartment still arguing about Anya's little orgasm problem. Giles poured himself some tea in a large saucer after adding some sugar and sat back at his desk. He had random books lying around from the last demons they had investigated; he hadn't bothered to put them away, in case they needed use of them again. But they hadn't needed use of them for about three weeks now.

Giles was beginning to feel rather useless again. He didn't need to help Buffy with training lately either, Faith had been helping Buffy out with that by them both practicing on fighting each other instead of the wooden dummies over at the Magic Box. Although Willow and Xander had come over lot, which really wasn't much of an improvement over being by himself. Willow wasn't so bad and neither was Tara, but Anya and Xander…well let's just say he had begun to miss chip Spike being chained to his bath. Spike had been hanging around his crypt a lot more often, not caring much for the others. The only time Buffy really came over was to ask him if he could watch Dawn. He really didn't relish the idea of having Dawn over either, she was kind of, well, a spazz, and tended to break things, valuable things. He took another sip from his saucer; he heard a small scratch at the door. Setting his tea aside and putting on his glasses he pulled open the door.

Expecting one of the Scoobies, maybe Xander returning to say he had changed his mind about not bunking with him "yes?" but to his great confusion no one was standing there, at least not where he was looking. He felt fur run across his ankle he peered down to see a small black kitten. He stared as it swept back and forth around his ankles and mewing. He bent down and gathered it up awkwardly, examining it. "You have no collar, guess you don't belong to anyone…." The feline purred and rubbed her soft, warm face on his hand and nibbled on his fingers. He thought it was sort of cute…in a manly way of course. Shutting the door behind him, now holding the cat a bit closer he walked to the kitchen, examining his refrigerator. He grabbed the cat some milk and poured it in a small green, glass bowl and set it on the floor along with the cat. It gave the milk a little sniff then turned its back on it. Giles thought, "maybe it's not warm enough."

He heated the bowl in the microwave for a little while and set it back down for the cat. Yet again she refused. Giles frowned, "maybe your not hungry." In that instant Spike barged in looking casual in his leather duster, smoking his cigarette, as if they were old buddies. Spike spoke; "you should lock your door mate" he pulled out his silver lighter and gave a puff from his cigarette. "Wouldn't want any big nasties just charging in uninvited an' all now do we?" Giles full of irritation and it showed in the sharp creases on his for head. He scooped up the cat and began stroking it "no we don't want that… what do you want Spike?" Spike frowned, the scene looked very unnatural. "Uh sorry if I'm interrupting anything between you and you're…." He paused, "cat." Giles frowned, "well yes awe- well." he looked down at the cat who was not taking its brilliant green eyes off the vampire. The cat then jumped from his arms and onto the counter, where it remained.

Giles sighed in annoyance, getting a mug of blood for Spike. To Giles further exasperation, Spike took a seat on his couch with the blood. The cat sprung off the counter and followed, pouncing onto Spike's lap. "Oy get off!" But the cat remained clawing onto Spike's arm, licking the blood from his mug. Giles, very interested by this, walked over removing his glasses in thought. Spike gave up and set the mug down for it. The cat continued to lap the blood hungrily. "How very odd." Giles thought out loud "it didn't want the milk and yet…" Spike remarked, "maybe it just has good taste, did you check you're milk? Maybe it's gone bad."

3: Buffy heard the soft beeping noise of her alarm clock. She worried about how such a small noise could wake her up, Xander suggested it might have been her slayer reflexes. She thought it was just because she didn't sleep very well and a cranky slayer is not an efficient slayer. Moaning and holding her head, she rolled over and shut it off, got up, yawning and stretching in her pajamas. She sleepily walked through the hallway, stopping, in front of the white door with signs such as: "Go away," "Stay out," and other pleasant things like that. Buffy knocked softly on the door, "time to get up Dawnie!" She heard more moans and yawn's "get ready for school!" She went back in her room to change and went downstairs to make pancakes as Dawn took a shower.

As she flipped a Jack in the air the phone rang. She turned to pick it up, not noticing the pancake splatter on the floor. "Hello?" It was Giles, "Buffy we need to have a meeting with the others at the Magic box, it's, well, sort of important. Buffy sighed and yawned, "uh yeah sure, be there after I take Dawnie to school." Giles was curious about this, "But you don't drive." Buffy replied "I know that, Xander usually takes her but I couldn't contact him at the hotel. So I'm going to walk her, I don't really trust her walking alone." Giles said all right and hung up. Buffy set down the phone and turned back around to see the great many, burned, flap jacks. Dawn rushed downstairs and turned to look over the mess, feeling sorry for Buffy, who had really tried. "Well, it's O.K., I wasn't that hungry anyway…"

As Buffy was walking back from taking Dawn to school she breathed in the fresh, California, morning air "well this is nice." She passed by the gates of Sunny Dale morgue, the cemetery her mother was kept in. She didn't know why she couldn't just walk off and ignore it. A hand had just clamped around her heart, squeezing and squeezing and wouldn't let go. She couldn't help being pulled in; she found the beautifully done tomb stone. She tried to look as casual as possibly walking through the "bone yard." She felt guilt at seeing all the other graves sporting flowers while her mother's was blank. She knelt down, her eyes not moving from the concrete letters of "Joyce Summers 1957-2001." She felt her eyes fill up with salty wet tears, what a horrible year that had been, just one terrible event after the other.

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She stood up, still gazing down, she glanced at a shadow as it whirred past her. She jerked away from the pulling sensation of the tombstone and bolted after it. She wasn't sure why it seemed so important, but something about it had seemed to violate her environment. But it was long gone, whatever it was. She peered down, it had dropped…something. She kneeled down to examine it, it was a fair size wooden box. On it was a small golden lock, she attempted to open it, no it would need a key. She, shook it, something was inside. "Guess this is one of those Giles things."

4: Giles was standing by the front register, after calling all the Scoobies together. They were all there, except Buffy. Giles waited patiently as Anya mumbled. "Can't you just hurry up and talk about the boring stuff? We don't need Buffy, she probably won't listen anyway. And why do I have to be here?" Giles held his head and Xander "scolded" her. "Aun, we have to wait for Buffy, she's supposed to make with the dark, evil mojo." Anya argued "so why do I have to be here? Not like I'm any help anyway." Giles couldn't help but comment on this "she does have a rather convincing point." Xander sighed, "we're here to help in the best way we can, and if that means just sitting around and reading boring books so be i-." Buffy had walked in. "Before we make with the spooky I got more spooky." She handed Giles the box she had found and sat at the large, round wooden table with the others. "I found it in the grave yard, a big, fast blurry, blob thingy dropped it. I tried to catch it, but it was way to fast." She saw the black kitten lying up on one of the bookshelves "hey! I remember that cat! I saw it last night in the park, it wasn't very nice either, it wouldn't let me pet it." She pouted. Willow then gazed up from the book her and Tara were reading and smiled "yeah, it's Giles new kitty."

Tara spoke up also "do-doesn't it la-look like Ms. Kay-Kitty Fantastico?" Giles then began, "Yes actually, that's why I called you all here-." But Xander cut him off "you called us about a cat?" Giles began clicking his tongue in annoyance, "it's more than just about the cat, in fact I don't think its just coincidence that Buffy had met up with it last night either." He told them the blood and Spike story. Xander couldn't help himself "so we talking about vampire kitty?" Giles took that in "well I'm not entirely sure. And I'm not quite sure if this cat is in fact…a cat." They all sat in silence, trying to look like they were thinking real hard for Giles convenience. Giles began to examine the box and turned it over in his hands, there were drawings on one side of it. Golden markings, he cried out, "ah-ha!" The others stared at him, he muttered a sorry then continued, "there are markings-" Buffy cut him off this time "I think I noticed that." Giles furrowed his brow "did you happen to notice what kind they were?" Buffy shrugged "uh drawings drawings?" Giles sighed "they're pictures of cats, I've heard of shape shifters, but now that you bring up that shadow there might be more to it. I'll research with the others, and you and Faith patrol tonight and look for it, try Willie's place for some answers.

This is a lot more complicated then I had first suspected." The others nodded in agreement and got to work. Buffy stayed for awhile to help find books while Giles tried very hard to open the box, Anya questioned, "why can't Buffy just use all that super strength and just smash the thing?" Buffy replied before Giles could, "well what if I broke what was inside? We don't know enough about it." They all decided it was best to wait until Buffy or Faith found some kind of key. The others had not found anything and they all came to the conclusion that the real information was probably from that box. At about three Buffy went out with Xander and got Dawn and drove her back to the Magic Box. Dawn of course continued to ask, "can I pleassssssssssse help research?" And Buffy of course replied "Do your homework." Willow, seeing there wasn't much point in continuing to research until after Buffy and Faith got some real information, decided to help Dawn out with an essay. When the sun set Buffy headed out to Faith's. Leaving the others in pointless research.

5: Buffy holding her bag filled with slayer goodies (stakes, crossbows, holy water, ect.) her hair pulled back into a tight plait, it was easier to move without hair in your face. She came to a stop in front of an old apartment building, not far from Willie's bar. It was a dirty and disgusting, cheap, slum, Buffy checked over the address Giles had given her. She couldn't believe Faith actually lived there, she felt pretty bad. She entered the main entrance; not exactly sure of the room Faith was staying in. Coming to a small gray counter, she tapped the little bell and waited for some help, a short fat, smelly man came to the front scratching himself and swatting at the flies circling around his head. Buffy held back the urge of whining ewwwwww. He looked her up and down with a sly grin on his face, and in an obnoxious Brooklyn accent said, "so uh Sweet cheeks, I get a break in ten minutes. Interested?" Buffy felt sick "actually I'm looking for a Faith-" she couldn't recall ever hearing what her last name was "well she's about five feet, pretty, brunette, kind of slutty?" The guy sighed at being turned down, "Yeah yeah, she's in 803, upstairs….and could you let her know she's way past her due date on the rent?"

Buffy mumbled a thanks and cautiously went up the rickety stairs. She peered down the long hallway, walking through it, hearing shouts of young "lovers" and screams, cries of children and other horrible sounds. She tried to block this all out, looking at the worn out door numbers, "759, 800, 801, 802, and 803." She stopped in front of the door; this was the one room where unbearable noises weren't coming from. She went to knock but Faith had pulled open the door in that same second. Buffy felt awkward "we have patrolling to do, some big kitty mystery thing going on, gotta beat up Willie." Faith nodded "I'm there."

They entered the dark and dank bar. There were a great many demons there that fled as soon as they saw the two. Buffy sniffed the air, which smelled of blood and alcohol. Buffy went straight up to a quivering, Willie. Although Faith decided to take a seat and order a drink, Buffy scowled at Faith but decided there was no point for her to yell at him to, he would be just as afraid of one and squeal just as much. Buffy sat in front of him about to ask him a question before he blurted out "I don't know a thing about Roxy!" Buffy grinned and the poor bartender gulped "OOPS." Buffy was about to ask another question but Willie backed away, "slayer don't, please, really, I can't, if I tell, she-she'll-" he seemed unable to get the words out "kill me." The words didn't quite have the effect on Buffy that Willie had hoped for, "yeah that's great, but I need information, you have that information and if I don't get my information I get grumpy, so make with the tattling or I'll make you wish she had killed you."

Faith smirked when she heard Buffy say this and suddenly got more interested in getting information, she got up and stood next to Buffy "we'll make you wish she had killed you." Buffy smiled and Willie got a look on his face like Christmas had just been canceled, he nodded his head, ready to tell them. "Well Roxy, curly blonde, pretty little thing, didn't seem so scary at first, but I tell you that woman knows how to snap a neck, kinda reminds me of this one dame I met in Vegas-." Buffy got an irritated look on her face and he got back on the subject "so sorry, well anyway, she came here asking about ummm what was her name? I think it was something like Gerry, Ginger, Gas- no it's um Gina!" He looked proud of him self, then continued "Well anyway, she mentioned losing a box or something, and yelling at me. Asking if I knew where she could find Naguort's blood, and of course I had no idea what she was talking about, she muttered something about the slayer and stormed out. That's all I know." Buffy set him down, making sure she remembered all that. Her and Faith walked out in much confusion.

Buffy looked to Faith "what do you think about al this?" Faith shrugged "don't know, this Roxy wants someone called Gina? And something called Nebr.'s-." Buffy corrected her "Nagourt's blood." Faith shrugged again "whatever, something that we have never heard of, and something about that box, and a cat, this sounds like it's gonna need a lot of thinking. Thinking not really my strong point" Buffy agreed, this all seemed rather difficult. She had just been bored without some big bad mystery to deal with, and now she was stuck with something completely impossible to solve. She muttered under her breath "be careful what you wish for."

6: Back at the Magic Box they decided on other ways of figuring this out. Tara went looking up spells to unlock things, thinking the box was mystical. Dawn continued on her homework. Willow searching online, hacking into police records on recent mysterious deaths. Giles kept trying to open the box manually insisting that it could be done he just had to find the right tool. Anya helping Dawn with her home work (which wasn't really helping) and Xander out doing the most important job of all…getting snacks. They all jerked up from their studies in relief when Xander came in with various munchies. He passed out sodas, chips and other junk food, Willow getting her soda. She read the outer label, "oooh, I can win a game of some kind." She said this with a little excitement and a goofy smile.

She twisted off the cap and read "sorry please try again." Willow pouted, "Your not sorry, your just a big corporation full of fake apologies." She set aside the drink and crossed her arms "I'm not thirsty anymore." Tara patted her back, lovingly. They were all about to get back to work when Buffy and Faith entered. Faith sat down with the others looking at some demon pictures that Willow was looking at on her laptop. Buffy stood by Giles and explained what they had heard from Willie. Giles took note of all these things in his Watcher diaries, not that he was technically a watcher, but you never knew when some slayer would need them someday. When Buffy had finished he nodded in thought. He thought aloud "Well I'm not sure, did you say that girl Roxy was asking about a Nagourt demon?" Buffy shrugged "it's a demon? I thought it sounded like a candy bar." Giles sighed and continued "well I've heard of the myth, I'm not entirely sure that's even real. It's a very large and violent creature, some what like an animal more than your average monster really. It somewhat resembles a gargoyle and a dragon." Buffy nodded taking this all in even though the combination was very odd. "So… why does she want the blood?" Giles thought again "well its blood is said to be, well pretty powerful, it can be used as a weapon against gods." Buffy looked shocked "gods? And why didn't we use this against Glory?" Giles replied "well it doesn't exist, well not in this reality anyway, and like I said, I'm not even sure if this creature is real. Even if it was, it's very difficult to kill, they're not very intelligent but still, very vicious."

They all thought then Tara spoke "and this box? Maybe that has to do with the Nagourt and something about this girl Gina? If Nagourt blood can be used to kill a god, and she's looking for sa-someone called Gina? Maybe this Gina is sa-some sort of god?" Giles seemed to get an idea, "well if this girl Gina is a god, there's got to be some sort of book on her, this box might contain information on Gina. And that shadow… it might have been Roxy, so this Roxy is trying to kill Gina. And those pictures of cats on the box, this also relates to the cat, the cat must relate to Gina some how." Everyone's head hurt by now from all this thought, it seemed like Giles was trying to solve some huge scientific or mathematical theory. Faith was now rubbing her temples methodically that seemed very much unlike her. Anya lit up " Roxy!" Everyone stared at her, "I knew her! She was a vengeance demon, oh I remember this one time when she flayed this guy-" Xander gave her one of those looks and she got back to the point.

"Well she was a vengeance demon at first, but then she got promoted, to a god. Well, not promoted so much as stole power and became one." Willow spoke next "but wait, why would she want this god killing stuff if she is a god?" Giles thought about that "they must be rivals of some kind, maybe Roxy is jealous-." Anya cut him off "oh yeah Roxy hates Gina, oh and Gina isn't a god, well she kinda is but not really." Giles was exasperated again "and you didn't tell us this before? Why?" Anya shrugged "you never asked." Buffy asked, "what else do you know Anya? Did you know Gina?" Anya shook her head no "I've never actually met her, but I did meet Roxy, I think Gina is some sort of relation to the first-." All of their eyes bulged, Buffy looking frozen with fear. "Sa-so sha-she is just as powerful as the first? All those servants and Harbingers of evil?" Buffy was stuttering as bad as Tara. Anya laughed "No! Of course not!" Everyone was about to give a sigh of relief when-. " She's like the most powerful being in the universe, way worse than the first!" Buffy felt very sick.

7: Faith looked around all of them, she hadn't really been paying attention as they all sat in silence. She shrugged "so what? If this thing, Gina? Is related to the first or whatever, well we took the first down, what's the big diff?" They all turned their heads to her and Buffy got irritated "because Faith, it was hard enough to get rid of the first, and now, well, I don't think we can afford another all out war." Faith nodded "well that's true I guess, but I mean how do we even know about any of this yet? I mean how do we know Roxy is on our side and has already killed this thing?" Anya spoke up again "actually Roxy is also evil, she's just jealous of Gina." That didn't help their spirits much and Willow brightened up "but is Gina evil?" Anya thought a moment "well…I really don't know how to explain that, you see it's kind of one of those both ways kind of deals." Buffy sighed "what do you mean by both ways? Is she evil or not?" Anya shook her head no "well not really, she kind of has two personalities, Eve and Gina.

Gina's the good one and Eve is evil." Anya explained this as if it were all very simple. "It's well kind of with Angel you know? But not really a curse, you actually have to perform a spell to get Eve out, of course no one's done that in about three thousand years." Giles furrowed his brow "so you're saying…that Gina? Is ancient?" Anya nodded cheerfully. "They all are, like I said Gina and Roxy are both related to the first, who is also ancient might I add. They've all pretty much been around since the beginning of time. But that's all I know, well that's all Roxy told me about them anyway." Buffy had decided for a long time now on what she was going to do "OK here's the plan, we need to find this Roxy, we'll all split up watch the main evil spots such as the grave yard and maybe the Bronze. First I have to take Dawn over to Spike's I don't want her alone when there's anything having to do with the first going on-." Dawn whined "but Buffy-." "But nothing Dawn, and you should probably take the cat with you, we don't know nearly enough about it to leave it alone." The others nodded in agreement but not before Xander questioned "so what about that box? It's gotta have a key, do you think this Roxy has it?" Buffy thought again "probably, and that's one of the million reasons I plan to find her."

Buffy hurried along in the grave yard with a nagging Dawn behind her, she stopped in front of a crypt and barged in. "Spike I need you to watch Dawn, and…a cat, there's cash in it for you but I gotta go." Spike looked over from his television and sighed with lifeless breath. "Oh bloody hell." Buffy crossed her arms and looked away from him annoyed "look Spike are you gonna watch her or not? Because if not I have better things to d-." "Fine, fine, fine, slayer, I'll do it, but the cat'll cost you extra, that thing stole my blood last time." Buffy pulled out a wad of twenties, and threw half of it to him "fine, half now, and half later." She slipped the money in her pocket "bye Dawnie, be good."

The rest of the gang (Willow, Tara, Xander, Anya and Giles) sat around the East Side of the graveyard. Anya and Xander munching on Ruffles of course, while Tara and Willow sat side by side on the grass discussing a spell for a small ball of sunshine. Giles sat on a tombstone holding his head. "Xander can we get a dog of some kind?" Xander slowly turned his head and stared at her, almost afraid to ask "why…?" Anya continued at once "dogs eat rodents." She said this as if her point were obvious. Xander "yes, they're pretty much known for that so are cats, and your point being?" Anya sighed irritated that he didn't understand "well bunnies are rodents, and I was thinking a dog would be a very useful source of protection." Xander patted her back "dear, dear Aun." Giles spoke up eager to put a stop to this conversation "don't you think we should be walking around and actually looking for Roxy?" Willow grinned "well there's no need to actually look, I can easily do a location spe-."

She stopped after getting a look from Tara "Will that sentence better not end with spell like I think it was." Willow gave a pathetic smile "of course not, I was gonna say…spe-cial map?" Tara shook her head but Willow continued "well you know to help with a sense of direction…I'm not helping much am I?" Xander answered "not really." They all fell silent when out of nowhere they felt a gust of wind go by, leaving a shiver down their spines. They glimpsed an ebony blur fly by. Giles began to clean his glasses by the sleeve of his shirt, thinking he might have been seeing things. Xander scratched his head, they all remained soundless for awhile until Willow turned to Giles "what do you think that was?" Giles looked up at her gravely "honestly? I've no idea."

Buffy stepped into the bronze, took one look around and turned to leave "I'll check the ally." Faith scowled "your just gonna leave like that? Without even a drink or anything?" Buffy glared "we came to find a god, not to party Faith." She said every syllable firmly, "I don't care if you want to stay and get drunk and screw around, but don't waste my time. Do you understand?" Faith rolled her eyes "whatever B, no need to get snippy, I'll help, Girl Scout's honor." She held up two fingers as a sign of loyalty. Buffy sighed, "wrong hand Faith." Faith shrugged "whatever." Buffy went out again and Faith reluctantly followed. They trudged down the steps through couples of teenagers making out, when they reached the bottom they turned a corner, heading to the side of the building. Buffy slid her hand down her pocket, gripping her stake, just in case. Faith of course not worrying one bit just held her arms over her chest, scanning her surroundings.

Off in the distance they heard trashcans get knocked down and a low cry, they immediately rushed over. Buffy swiftly bounded onto the Dumpster, while Faith remained on the ground but in her fighting stance. Buffy gave a snort of laughter, "typical, pretty girl, hungry vampire, will it ever change?" Faith joined in "doubt it, I mean you'd think they'd all get tired of us dusting them all the time." The vampire slowly gazed up with yellow, catlike eyes, and protruding fangs, "slayer." Buffy replied, "slayers." The vampire pushed his ex-victim aside, apparently more interested in them, the girl, holding her bleeding neck took the chance to run back inside the bronze. Buffy wondered if the girl would even bother to get it checked out or just get another drink and continue to dance. While the baddie pondered on which of them he wanted to go after first, Faith brought up an uppercut into his face. She backed away smirking, holding her elbow which had got caught on one of his fangs. Buffy flipped off the Dumpster and landed behind the dazed monster. She nodded at Faith, showing she would allow her to make the next move, not that it mattered, she'd do it either way.

Faith took the offer and "like lightening" dropped to just her hands and one leg while whipping the other around under his feet. Just as he was about to fall backward Buffy decided to get on her hands and knees, allowing him to fall harder while tripping over her back. Faith held in her laughter and sprung back up, ready for more. "Hey your right B, this is way more fun than drinking." Buffy rolled over and sprung up as well, "really?" Faith replied while giving the vamp a few more kicks and strikes, "nah, not really." Now growing bored of the new victim, who was now bruised and bloody she pushed him over to Buffy who held her stake out and finished him off. "Well, that was exhilarating." Faith heaved as they walked back from the ally. Buffy looking down at her feet, "yeah, I guess, I just wish we'd run into Roxy already."

8: Dawn sat by Spike awkwardly on his short, fluffy couch. Well not so much as fluffy, as ripped up with the fluff from inside sticking out. Spike stared blankly at the fuzzy television. The cat had been lying asleep in between them, its little lungs not actually moving up and down. Dawn watched the cat curiously, "uh Spike…why isn't it breathing?" Spike grunted, "sorry lil bit, what did you say? I was distracted." Dawn sighed, "the cat Spike, the cat isn't breathing." Spike frowned and glanced at the black fuzzball, "that is a bit unnatural." He nudged the cat, trying to see if it was still alive. The cat gave a small growl and its eyes slowly lifted open and it stretched looking irritated. Dawn's eyes bulged, "what the-?" Spike scowled and backed away as well. Just then, The front door burst open with a storm of wind. A mass of shadows went toward the cat and formed into the shape of a woman. She was fairly tall, with long, light, blonde hair.

She had big blue eyes; she did seem a bit girlie, with a short skirt and a baby blue sweater. She was covered in make-up and held her soft hands on her hips, her manicured pink nails digging into the glitter on the sweater. She seemed very annoyed with the cat. "I knew you'd be with them! That is so unfair! You weren't supposed to get the slayer involved! But of course, you never did listen did you? But no, your too good for rules aren't you? Always thought you were better then me huh?" Dawn who was hiding behind a dusty curtain glanced at Spike who was leaning against a wall, she gave a confused look that said: "what is she talking about?" Spike of course shrugged, having no idea, "uh pet, what the bloody hell are you talking about?" The blonde beauty scowled at him, "excuse me? Why is it that no one respects me?" She turned toward the cat again; "it's all your fault! People used to fear and love me! But you ruined it!" The cat looked very bored and turned to walk away.

"I don't think so Gina! You get back here and look at me when I'm talking to you!" Dawn gasped and walked out from behind the curtain, "wait Gina? Then that means…wait, who are you anyway?" The blonde continued to rant, "you know who Gina is but not me? Well not that I care…but I'm Roxy. Roxy the goddess, once vengeance demon, such and such." Dawn raised an eyebrow and fell silent. The cat snorted, at first Dawn thought it was coughing up a furrball but it was laughing! The cat rolled over and Roxy began to shout again "shut up! Shut up! Just shut up!" But the cat couldn't stop; Roxy's crystal blue eyes began to transform into black.

She muttered and incantation, the cat froze and red sparks surrounded her, the cat was gone now, and was replaced by something else. There sat a short, pale, woman, of about 23 years old. She had shoulder length, sleek, black hair and had the same elegant green eyes as the cat. She was holding her legs tightly, hiding her naked body. Spike and Dawn just stared at her and Roxy became angrier. "Damnitt you tricked me Gina!" Gina furrowed her brow, "how exactly did I trick you?" "You made me mad so I'd change you back!" Dawn couldn't help but ask, "you're the one who changed her? But I thought Gina was like the most powerful thing in the universe?" Gina smirked, as Roxy's face grew red. Gina spoke up now, "oh I am…or will be anyway, but Roxy just happened to catch me off guard." Spike complained, "you stole my blood." Gina laughed, "yeah well normally I don't like pig's blood, but I was starved." Gina examined they're confused faces and continued, "yeah, I know what you're all thinking. I am a vampire, but normally I feed off vampire blood." Dawn questioned, "vampire blood?" Gina explained, "I never cared much for human blood, too bland, vampire blood is a lot more strong…little cold." Spike snorted, "for you anyway." Roxy moaned, "can we stop talking about you already Gina? It's always about you isn't it?"

Gina nodded, "yeah pretty much, what's it to you?" Spike held back a laugh, not to keen on getting slaughtered by Roxy. Blondie shook her head, "well, I guess I've lost. I lost the book, I lost you, I lost the key-…" Dawn sighed, "you lost the key?" Roxy nodded, "yeah, its goes to the book…inside the box, not that's it's any of your business." Gina spoke again, "Roxy?" Blondie glanced over, "yes?" She replied, "shut up." Blondie gave a long irritating scream, "forget it! I don't need that stupid book! I'll find that Nagourt myself! Or better yet! I'll find someone to find it for me!" Roxy disappeared into a gust of black and left the crypt again. Gina remained naked and glanced over at Spike, "hey blondie? Do you think you could get me some clothes?"

9: Eventually Giles and the others grew tired of "looking" and headed back to the Magick Box, hoping maybe Buffy and Faith had found something more useful than another blob thing. However when they entered a pale stranger was sitting at the round table with her head down and staring at the wall. Dawn was messing with the box over by Giles desk when Spike came down from the small black ladder. " 'Bout time you lot showed up, you won't believe what happened." Gina glanced up and yawned, well as much as you can yawn without any air. Giles dared to ask, "who is she?" Gina smirked, "I'm the cat." Dawn nodded and walked toward them, "uh you guys might want to sit down, we have a lot to talk about."

After a long time of explaining they all couldn't help but stare at Gina, who was now becoming very uncomfortable. She finally gazed up in impatience, "what?" Willow spoke, "sorry, it's just, well, I don't think we've ever met anything…I mean anyone like you before." Gina sighed, "yeah well that's great, I'll leave you guys so it won't be as hard not to stare at me. I'm going for a walk." Getting up, (now wearing an entirely black outfit) she headed out the door, the bell ringing frantically as the door slammed.

Ohio, a few years earlier:

"What the-?" Gina Mkeefe felt over her once much smaller canines. Her teeth had grown at least 3 inches since the night before. It was so weird. She knew she should be going through puberty about now but this was ridiculous. She had suddenly been going through a great many changes over the past few days. It was unnerving her. She had begun to have nightmares, visions it almost seemed like. She had dreams of monsters feeding off the blood of the innocent, she had felt almost a surge of adrenaline in these dreams, like it was a fight just waiting to be fought by the likes of her. While these dreams were somewhat terrifying, (especially the ones where she is the victim) she had begun to enjoy them.

She had enjoyed them the way a young girl would enjoy a fantasy of kissing a secret crush of hers. She knew it was weird to feel excited this way, but it felt so normal to her. She had not told her mother of these dreams of course, or any of her friends. Jenny would think them pretty cool but dismiss the idea of visions. She sighed; finding it harder to breathe the last couple of days as well, she had hoped it wasn't asthma. She was also feeling more awake, while once she would be very sleepy in school she was now wide-awake. She could sleep as little as 3 hours and be perfectly fine. She had also noticed a change in her eyes; the color of her irises would change when her feelings changed. When she was calm they would stay their normal green, when she was sad they would turn a dark gray, when she was frustrated they would turn a mellow hazel and when she was angry they would blaze a bright orange-red. She heard the faint call of her mother from downstairs, "be right down mom!" She rushed down the stairs, if she didn't hurry she would miss her bus. Her mother looked very sullen, lying on the couch beside her younger sister. "What's wrong mom?" Her mother glanced up; nowadays it seemed her mother had forgotten about her. Lost hope over something. "Oh nothing sweetie, have a nice day." She mumbled a "I'll try my best," and walked out the door.

Once at school she had forgotten about her abnormal teeth and began to listen to the droning of Jenny's gossip. Normally she would be resting the side of her face in the palm of her hand and drifting off, but with the new changes she was forced to listen to every word. "You won't believe what happened yesterday after volley-ball practice Gina, Matt actually asked me to the dance!" Gina muttered an automatic "uh-huh, that's great." Normally she would have been excited hearing about her friend's glory, but of late little things like dances and boys seemed unimportant to her. Her dreams had revealed a much more important world to her, whether or not such things like werewolves and vampires existed made her curious of course. This brought her back to the thoughts of her teeth; didn't vampires have that sort of teeth?

She shook her head at that. How could she be a vampire? She would remember being bitten, and didn't vampires burn in the sun? She was sitting right by the sun gleaming window so how could that be? And didn't vampires lack a reflection? She saw her reflection just fine. So the idea was impossible. Weird things like large teeth have happened before, just look at the freaks in Guinness. "Hey honey you listening?" "Yeah sure, just thinking." "About what?" "Oh just…changes." "Changes? Don't get deep and moody on me." Gina was irritated by this remark, she had found the lives of her friends meaningless and shallow nowadays. She turned her attention away from her friend when the teacher walked in. He was pretty much the youngest teacher in the building. He was only just in his twenties with a deep southern drawl, most of the girls giggled over their crushes for him. Gina felt she had something more than a crush. She was pretty sure that she was his favorite student. He stood in front of the class wearing his usual casual wear. He started to describe their next project, something about the 5th amendment when her lungs felt as if they stopped. She didn't know how she felt it, she reached for her neck, and she did not feel a pulse. She began to heave in and out rapidly in hysteria. Most of the class had turned its attention toward her now, "Ms. Mkeefe? Is everything all right?" Although now his voice was nothing but a murmur to her, she fell from her seat, her mind fading into darkness…  
"Gina, Gina, wake up cat." "Mom?" She muttered. "No kitten, this is Tranine."

Gina blinked a couple times; she instantly reached for her head in pain, "owe! Where am I and why do you keep calling me cat!" She saw the woman now; she was just under 5 feet tall with strawberry blonde hair. She had deep blue eyes, She seemed very sweet. "Now calm down, I can't have my #1 kitty blacking out again on me now can I?" Apparently the stranger seemed to understand the confused look now showing in Gina's face. "Listen, there's a lot of explaining to do, but I don't have much time. So I'll fill in get on with the basics and your mind will eventually fill out the blanks." Gina stood up, she didn't seem to be anywhere, and all she could see was gray and clouds and hazy mountains off in the distance. "First of all you aren't anywhere, this is just sort of a dream or hallucination. Second I keep calling you a cat because that's part of what the many things you are. I'm sure you've noticed some changes lately, this is because the time is drawing nearer for you to fulfill your duty to me, I am your master."

She gave a sweet smile. All Gina could muster at this point was, "huh?" Tranine continued with her radiant smile, "you are sort of my servant, there are others similar to you, some good and some evil. You are unique because I made you first." "So are you supposed to be like…." She almost didn't want to ask, "-like god?" "You could say that but it'd be wrong, I'm ancient and you are as well, we've both existed since before time began. But there are always higher beings, the highest of all highest of all universes well, it's even more ancient and beyond comprehension." "What do you mean by others like me, what is me?" "You are a warlock, well the warlock." This made no sense to Gina whatsoever.

Dr. Kassidy had never seen anything like it. It seemed like the girl was trying desperately to breathe at first but then just quit. She had died so suddenly, there was no sign of how she died, she had just begun this in her classroom. He was told she seemed perfectly normal. The secretary had tried again and again to call her parents who seemed not to be home. No matter eventually they would send someone over there. He hated it when the young ones died, and he hated that he had no idea how this one did. She remained lying still on the white hospital bed now. She seemed peaceful, he hoped he wouldn't have to break the news to her family. What would he say? "I have no idea how, but she died. Nothing we could have done to stop this." He hated when they said they could have done nothing as well, there was always something they could have done, this is how he felt anyway, it was just they were always too late.

"Aren't warlocks guys though?" "Normally." The vision of beauty continued again. "You're the one and only of your kind. You are the female warlock, with the ability to change into a cat and well you're also a vampire." Gina felt herself running her finger along her newly grown fangs. "What does the cat, vampire all of this have to do with anything!" "They are special abilities given to you so may complete your mission." "What mission?" "Well, missions. Just to help people, nothing big….not yet. You're going to Sunnydale." "Sunnydale?" "Small town in California, which…also happens to be on a Hellmouth." Gina of course had more questions about this, but Tranine seemed to have other plans. "But-?" "Sorry kitten, no time. If you don't start breathing soon you're going in a body bag." "Vampires have to breathe?" "No, but if you don't they'll think your dead. You can breathe, just don't have to. Now go on, I will see you again some time." "Wait!" It was too late the girl left and the gray began to fade, she remembered what Tranine had said. What had she meant by that? No time, she forced her lungs to begin moving again.

Dr. Kassidy heard shouts from Nurse Deborah and ran to the room. It was a miracle the girl was awake now and breathing just fine. They gave her some orange juice. He waited for about half an hour before going in to see what was up. The girl sat up straight, her eyes wide. She looked almost as scared as his surviving patients of something such as a car accident or maybe even an attempted homicide. This worried him; she seemed to be functioning just fine, no apparent brain damage. Although she didn't look happy like she should be; she seemed scared and not safe at all. "Where's my mother?" He walked over and placed an innocent hand on her shoulder, obviously meaning to comfort her. "Everything is fine, you're alive, I'm sure she'll come." The girl gave a glare at his hand, like it was snake of some kind. Her expression then changed yet again to fear, looking up at him she replied very odd words to him, "no. I'm not alive. And she's not coming."

10: Gina had been spending almost an hour in a very dark ally, staring at the wall. She was lost in old memories, memories that pained her. She had lost so much, and for what? To remember all this mythology, all this past back before even the human race developed. Her enemies, ones she could barely remember now, out to get her. Roxy was one; she took pleasure in torturing this twit. Although, while there were imps like Roxy, there were also things much worse coming for her. She was not even fully warlock. Luckily the slayer had already taken care of the first; she sympathized with the slayer.

Wishing she could have stopped the bloodshed that came across many of her friends and allies. Roxy would be easy to ignore, as long as she didn't join forces with…Eve. Eve was now in the very deepest hell imaginable. Finally she had shed her dark side; eve (short for Evil) would now want serious revenge. Time went much slower in hell than on Earth, so if it was thousands of years Earth time for Eve to be there, well it must have been forever in hell. Eve could take it; she was probably gathering forces down there. Not the hellmouth, that was destroyed now, but something deeper than that. This hell was a whole other universe, a universe devoted to evil and torture. The opposite of the universe of Tranine of course. Tranine lived in a very peaceful and painless place which most religious folk would refer to as heaven; on of many similar of dimensions anyhow. Gina longed to be back home away from this sort of pressure, well she had in the beginning, she was used to this now.

Besides, it was much better to be helping the scoobies rather than being a cat. She was again pulled from her thoughts at the low growls of something very predatory…a vampire. She of course could hear the almost invisible noise of the licking of fangs; she could feel what they felt. She could sense their instinct, their hunger. She closed her eyes, it had been a long time since she had fed on vampires, she had quit after she learned it was just as bad as feeding off humans. It sort of made her a hypocrite in the eyes of Tranine, so she had stopped. But now, her appetite was unbearable, she transformed into the cat. Her clothes were put off to the side; she would use a calling spell for them later. She had begun to get very used to this form, it was very normal, and in this body she did not feel the nostalgia for her old home, when she was human.

Buffy rubbed her eyes, she decided to continue on the search while Faith reported back to the Scooby gang. She now sauntered along the streets randomly. She had about three stakes in her back pockets; she was always very prepared…unlike a certain dark brunette slayer who shall remain nameless. Buffy pondered over all the new information given to her. None of it really seemed to connect, a cat, a box, and some girl named Roxy? What did it all mean? Was this some sort of revenge sent from the first? Had they REALLY destroyed the hellmouth? She sighed and ran her fingers through her now very thin looking blonde hair. She really could use another shower; her hair felt sort of greasy. She was about to head back to the Magic Box when a young man knocked into her. "Well, excuse me." Buffy had begun but the boy seemed very afraid. He was covered in sweat, in between gasps all he could get out, "her, she, fangs?" Buffy understood immediately, slayer mode again took over and sent her across through the darkness to perform the duty given only to her, the slayer.

Gina took in the scene quickly, she was a vampire and he was a young and stupid boy. She was irritated at how lust always got the best of these teens. She leaped down in her form, unnoticed. The girl was trying to hush the boy who actually wasn't yelling, "come on, be quiet, it will only hurt for a minute." "Oh I think it's gonna hurt a lot longer than that." The redheaded vampire turned to Gina, not looking too happy. Gina smirked as the boy ran off, "you'll pay for losing my dinner, girl." Gina could only continue to smile. The girl lunged at her, fangs ready to rip into her pale skin. Gina sidestepped the attack with ease. The girl stopped, catching herself and almost tripping. She shook her head, "now back in the day, vampires knew how to fight." Gina thought about simply staking the filthy thing, but she saw fun to be had in it, and her hunger was getting the best of her. She allowed her fangs to show through, the girl was very shocked. "But why? Why would you do that then?"

Gina shrugged, "because…I can?" The now furious vampire lunged again, a little more careful this time, Gina remained where she was. She grabbed the shoulders of the soulless creature and lifted her up, her feet high in the air and threw her hard against the brick wall behind her. She didn't feel much like fighting this thing, it was too easy. She would save her strength for later, she would end this right now. She grabbed the girl by the neck and held her against the wall, she figured maybe just this once wouldn't hurt. Gina was about to feed on the girl (who had changed back from the vampire she was for some reason) when she was interrupted. "Oh you guys having a party, sigh, no one ever invites the slayer to these things do they?" This was not a good position for the slayer to find her in.

11: Gina automatically dropped the girl, who wisely stayed in her human disguise. Buffy muttered, "run." Gina sighed, "no, you can't do that." Buffy snapped up, "I beg to differ." The slayer tilted her head and seemed to think a little bit, "what does beg to differ mean exactly anyway? You beg to…differ? What the hell is differ? Well I know it means to disagree…so you are asking permission to disagree? Now why would you ask permission?" Gina couldn't waste time like this; she picked up the nearest thing she could find, a beer bottle. She hurled it at the head of the masked vampire who went down immediately, "stay girl." Gina hid her fangs once more; it only made it harder on her throbbing hunger. Buffy smiled and they both began to circle, how could Gina explain this all to her? There was so much, "wow, I'm impressed. Vampires usually keep the fangs out." Gina shrugged, "well, I'm not your average vampire." "Yeah? That's what they all say you know until they're dust…then not so different." "Look slayer, I don't want to hurt you-." "Then you won't have to, I'll make your death quick."

Gina smirked, now that she thought about it, this could prove to her in itself. So Gina went along with it, keeping a close eye on the other vampire. Buffy went in for a predictable high kick to her jaw; Gina caught her ankle without much effort. Gina had known many slayers throughout history, most of them started their attacks with a high kick or a spin kick, and it helped get a fight moving. Gina admired how strategized each and every one of them was; she found the similarities in them rather amusing. Buffy did not stop to look shocked; she would spin her other leg around most likely. Buffy began to do this and Gina caught that one to, leaving the slayer on the ground. Gina expected her to push up her body in a bridge and try to throw Gina off; instead she spun around in a bridge which forced Gina to let go of her ankles. Gina backed off, submissive now, curious to see the slayer's reaction to certain things. Buffy pulled out her stake and rammed it into her.

Buffy couldn't believe this, as if the vampire wasn't hard enough to fight it did not combust the way it was supposed to. Buffy wanted to roar in frustration. The girl smiled faintly and pulled out the stake, Buffy thought the thing would use it against her but the girl edged over to the innocent girl on the ground. "Oh no you don't!" Buffy ran across the ally and blocked the unpredictable monster. The girl lifted an eyebrow; the vampire was only just 5 feet tall. She was even shorter than Buffy, but she looked like she could snap Buffy's neck if she really wanted to. It seemed almost just like a game for the vampire, Buffy supposed that it was like that for most vampires. She didn't notice until now the girl had black hair and green eyes…like the cat. The girl shook her head, as if she was a teacher and Buffy was the student who just gave the wrong answer to her question. The girl simply pushed Buffy out of the way, not really able to resist it. The girl, or rather the demon inside the girl lifted up the redhead and staked her! Buffy assumed she would feed…the "innocent" exploded into dust.

Faith had been sitting at the big round table of the Magic Box zoning in and out as the Scoobies explained on and on about everything. Faith of course found this rather boring, but she listened. She didn't see why they couldn't wait 'till Buffy got here to. This meant that as soon as Buffy arrived again…they were going to have to explain again. This meant that Faith was going to have to sit through another 45 minutes of what seemed like a fairy tale of some kind. A fairy tale with lots of blood anyway. They didn't know what was in the box yet, they had forgotten to ask Gina about that in all the excitement. Giles only took a breath out of his long story for a second; "amazingly Gina was the cat the whole time." Breath, "Faith would you mind getting your feet off my table?" Faith sighed and replaced her large leather boots to the floor. "So that's it, right?" Giles removed his glasses and held the bridge of his nose for a moment, "precisely, all this has been rather…exhausting." Dawn was already out like a light; her hair covering her whole face as her head was lying against the table. Spike lit up his fourth cigarette since they began the conversation.

"Yeah I agree with the G man. We all need some sleep." Xander replied. Giles scowled, he didn't exactly appreciate being called G-man. "Yes well you all can retire, I shall remain here until Buffy returns to explain what's going on." "No need, I already know the happs." Buffy strolled in with a bored looking Gina. "Yeah after I had to kick your ass." To Faith's surprise Buffy gave a faint smile, "yeah well it's a little hard to believe all of this." The Scoobies noticed the bruises on Buffy now. It looked like Gina had really taken care of her. This troubled Giles, especially the fact that Gina was unstable. She might have seemed good to them but that didn't mean she couldn't turn on them…and if she did it looked like Buffy wouldn't be much of a match for her. "Well, I'm glad to see you both back. Gina I never did ask what was in this." He held up the box, Gina stood there a moment in thought. "It's…sort of a lost biography type thing. On me." "Really? That sounds fascinating, can you open it?" Gina shook her head slowly, "I don't think you should look at it. It tells the one way to kill me…" Faith retorted, "and you're afraid we'll kill you?"

She smirked. Gina glanced at Faith; she didn't seem angry or fearful, only tired. "Even if you did know how to kill me the weapon doesn't exist in this universe, and if you did go there, which I doubt you would, it would be very difficult for you to…acquire it. And even if you did you wouldn't know how to use it…and even if you did know how to use it, do you really think you could take me?" The grin vanished from Faith's face. "Well, uh we do have a vague idea of what it is that kills you. Nagourt's blood?" Gina shook her head, "Roxy found out didn't she? I didn't want you to know, I was worried she might try to torture you for the information or something. She must be getting close." "Not really," Buffy spoke up, "she has no idea where to get a…" Buffy looked to Giles desperately, "a Nagourt Buffy." "Yeah right, whatever. Willy says she's pretty clueless." "Got that bloody right."

Spike joined in now, "that blonde nitwit wouldn't know how to find whatever it is if it bit her in the-." "I know she may come off that way…but don't let her fool you. She's more dangerous than you think; she may seem like nothing to me. But no offense…She could pulverize you guys." Willow rejoined, "oh we've taken worse. We can handle it." Anya laughed, "yeah right. She could of have killed you even back when she was just a vengeance demon." Xander's bottom lip seemed to quiver and he replied to Anya, "gee thanks for making me feel so much better." Gina sighed, "it doesn't matter anyway. This is none of your concern. I'll take care of Roxanne, I've done it before." Buffy stood up to her, "listen…umm goddess, warlock, cat whatever you are. I'm the slayer and it's my job to take care of the big nasties. So if you want to help that's fine with me, but I run the show here." The others nodded in accord with Buffy, except Anya of course. Gina sighed and took the box from Giles. "Fine, but I'm not responsible when you all die." She then snapped the lock in her hands easily and tossed a large black book to Giles. "I'll see you guys around."

12: Xander ran his fingers through Anya's golden locks of hair. She was sound asleep in their small and cramped hotel bed. They were both naked under the sheets, Anya needed to try and forget the events of the night for at least awhile. But now Xander was wide awake and left to be terrified. Giles stayed at the Magic Box to study the book while the rest of them felt they needed some rest. Xander doubted any of the others would be sleeping besides Anya. He hated the sound of all this godly stuff. As if vampires and demons weren't bad enough…this stuff was way out of his league as well as the slayer's. Gina's last words had chilled him to the bone. He deeply wished Buffy had just let Gina take care of everything. What was it with these powerful women and competition? Although Xander found it extremely sexy…it also alarmed him. Not that he would be much help. Buffy, Faith, Spike and Gina would take care of the kicking ass, Will, Tara, Anya and Giles would take care of the magicks and research and he would be there to crack jokes at inappropriate times. Hell, even Dawn would be more useful than he was. He was tempted to call Willow and ask her what she thought about all this but then he decided against it. She was probably with Tara. Who knew what they could be up to at this hour? Xander found himself thinking of the possibilities.

Willow looked so cute when she was in her mistress of the computer mode. Tara couldn't help but stare at her beloved with great affection as Willow pounded furiously on the keyboard. The cute red head was so very determined when she needed to be. Willow practically begged Giles to stay and read over the book as well but he insisted them to all get some rest. Tara thought that Giles should also be getting some rest of his own but she knew he would never sleep without reading that book. Willow gave that lop sided frown as she did when she couldn't quite get something done but kept it to herself. She tried to look up some sort of events that would look as if they would relate to Roxy in any way. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary… for Sunny Dale anyway. Willow finally closed the laptop and noticed Tara gazing at her, "sorry, nada."

Tara walked over to her one and only and touched her shoulder, "no need to apologize to me. Besides, Giles will probably get a ton of stuff from that book, and if anything is going on I'm sure Gina will find out about it." Willow shrugged, "yeah you're right. But you know what if Gina doesn't tell us? She didn't seem extra friendly." "Remind you of someone?" Willow took a seat, "well, she is sort of like Faith…in a way. Except I'm not sure if she's a slut yet." Tara sat next to her and questioned, "but Faith is good now?" "Yeah but you remember how cranky Faith was when her and Buffy did that whole switcharoo, especially with you." Tara recalled how cruel Faith had been "well…that's true. But she's different now." Willow shrugged, "she's still a slut." Tara gave a sly smile, "so you don't like that in a girl?" Willow returned the gesture and pulled Tara's face close to hers, "no I prefer mine shy and witchy." Tara smirked and turned off the lamp.

There was a knock at the door, "Xander? Xander! Someone's at the door." The only response Anya got was a snore, "well fine then. I'll get it, but if I die it's your fault." She grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around herself and went towards the door, "who is it?" She called softly, "a friend." Anya sighed and pulled the door open, "Roxy! It's been forever…" The preppy blonde walked through, "I hope you don't mind me not calling, but I wanted to surprise you." Anya frowned, "but how did you know where we were? This is a motel." Roxy laughed, "I'm practically a goddess silly." Roxy sat by the night-stand as Anya sat on the bed; "wow it must be great. With all those powers…" Anya sighed, "I'm sort of jealous." Roxy crossed her legs; "well you know it's almost the same as being a demon. Only with more information, gosh but if it weren't for that pesky Gina." Anya laughed along with her awkwardly; "yes well…will you excuse me for a second? I need to get some clothes on." Roxy nodded, "be my guest I'll wait here." Anya glanced at Xander; she didn't quite trust Roxy alone with him. She grabbed a white blouse and tan jeans and without keeping her eyes off Roxy went to the bathroom.

"So uh I hear you're moving with a different crowd these days. Am I right Anya?" Roxy called through the door, Anya thought a moment while slipping on her pants, "well yes. I mean it's only until I'm immortal again of course. I mean, how will I survive without joining forces with someone as powerful as the slayer." She said nervously, "really? So why are you with this boy?" Anya bit her lip and exited the bathroom, "I thought you hated men? I mean that was practically your slogan back in the old vengeance days." "Yes well, times have changed. I'm starting to settle into being…human." Roxy gave a disturbing smile; "well today's your lucky day Aun, it just so happens I came to offer you a job." "A job? Wait a minute…you're just going to use me because I know the slayer aren't you?" Roxy stood up and moved toward Anya, "hey missy you better stay away from me.

All I have to do is scream and he'll protect me." Roxy cackled, "and what exactly is this average mortal boy going to do to defend himself from a goddess? Besides I'm not going to hurt you." She grasped onto Anya's neck and lifted her up, "I just need that book. You get it…and I'll make you powerful again. Deal?" Anya could only shake her head no, "huh well I sort of expected this. Oh well no matter." She dropped Anya and reached inside her pocket, Anya began to walk slowly toward the bed. "You are going to get me that book, whether it's out of your own free will or not." Roxy held something that looking like sparkling dust in her hand, she winked and blew it at Anya, who fell onto the floor. "Kisses."

13: "Anya honey what are you doing on the floor?" Xander grabbed a pair of "Tweety" boxers and slipped them on as he bent down toward his passed out loved one. "Did you fall off the bed? Did you fall off the bed and into your clothes?" He frowned as the phone rung; "hey it's the X man." He heard a snort of laughter, "the X man?" Xander shrugged, "just something I'm trying out. So what's the what Buff? "I was hoping you'd already know. Giles wants to get together at the Magick Box again about that book. I sent Spike over to pick you guys up." "Spike?" "Yeah see you there." She hung up right as Anya opened her eyes, "Xander?" "Yeah why are you all dressed? I seem to recall nakedness." Anya sat up, "oh well…I decided to take a shower last night and got dressed sort of as a reflex. And um I'm on the floor because I didn't…want to wake you."

"Wake me?" "Yeah well you were spread out on the bed." "Oh I'm sorry you could have woken me up." Anya laughed as she stood up, "no! No it's fine, I'm fine, everyone's just fine. No more questions." There was a knock at the door, "what's that?" "What did I say about the questions!" Xander opened it to Spike who was turned around and facing the other door, "hello? Over here dead-boy." Spike turned around and pulled out his cigarette with a grin, "well I was just admiring your next door neighbors. The kind lady over there can't seem to find her wallet and is crawling around trying to find it," He arched an eyebrow, "and I've noticed she wasn't wearing a bra." He strolled past Xander into his motel room, "by the way mate, nice Tweety birds you got there."

They all sat in their usual ways. Willow near Tara, Buffy near Dawn and Faith secluded. The shop bell rung as Spike burst in with his blanket being licked up by angry flames. Xander followed in staring at Spike with a look in his eyes that said he wished the sun had finished the platinum blonde vampire off. And Anya, she didn't have the same perky look. She seemed troubled; Giles took note to ask what was wrong with her privately. "OK, so what did you find out from the book?" Demanded an eager Buffy. She seemed more excited about this than usual. Maybe it had something to do with Gina…the fact that so much of her life compared to a slayer's. Her destiny over an over again, only with the same soul in different bodies. With the exception, every time a woman was thought to be the warlock she had a few specific features, black hair, and green eyes. The way she had been in the form of the black cat. "Well, like I've told you she is a shape shifter. She has the ability to transform into the cat, as well as a panther. I'm not sure whether she might have chosen these cats for herself at some point, or perhaps that these two both have the same features of the warlock." Willow raised a hand as if she were in class, "are you sure she's actually called a warlock? I mean I heard that warlock is just a mid-1400's word that means liar."

Giles couldn't help but a wane smile; Willow had done her research. "Yes actually, but in fact Eve made that name for herself." "Eve?" Dawn spoke now; she had been paying attention in and out. "Yes, she is the bad part of Gina as Anya said earlier. One is required to summon her to come out though. Not like…" He didn't have to say it, they all knew what he meant, especially Buffy. "Normally Gina herself is called Volvas, the Norse term for Sorceress." "Well what is she doing here? What is her purpose?" Buffy asked anxiously. "Well, to sort of keep an eye on everything I suppose. To make sure dimensions stay separate, so we do not get mixed up." Buffy frowned, "like when Glory tried to go home?" "Yes precisely, or when Willow's Doppelghngland was released into our dimension. Unfortunately she is not around all the time. She can die, and then she is reincarnated to start all over again, when she reaches a certain age she has to re-learn everything. It's very difficult. I've also discovered that she is not full…well warlock." "But what about Eve? Where is she? She can't just disappear…if Gina lives doesn't she?"

Giles could tell Buffy was becoming pained with all this information. "Well Eve is in some sort of hell, they are two different people they only share the same cell of a body. Eve can exist even if Gina doesn't, she also has the advantage, she does not have to re-learn her entire life. It's much easier for her." "Does Gina work for someone?" "Yes, Tranine." "Tranine?" Tara questioned, "I've never heard of her. What is she the goddess of?" "The gods." Giles replied simply. "You're thinking of Wiccan religion where every God or Goddess rules over a specific thing like earth, water or fire. But like many other monotheistic religions or even polytheistic there is always one God that all the others fear. Like old Niger, they believed in similar Gods and Goddesses but who carried out duties for the highest God Chukwu." Their conversation was interrupted but a crashing of windows. The door flew open while about ten demons stood their ready and resembling soldiers.

"I can't do this…" Anya dropped the heavy book back down on Giles desk. The others were distracted outside his office talking. "But what if she hurts Xander?" She couldn't have that, "maybe I could just tell them what happened…" "Or maybe not." Something that looked like a human sized Godzilla approached her, "Roxy sent us to make sure the job was done…and that we brought along her little blonde friend." "Well how do you know it's me? I mean there are two other blondes out there how do you know it's not them?" He gave a grunt, "she said it was the annoying one." Anya huffed and grabbed the book quickly, "well it just so happens there is a vampire, a slayer and two witches out there very capable of pounding you into little unrecognizable bits." "Oh really? But this is just the first set." That didn't sound very comforting.

"Oh why do I even bother to clean up the shop anymore?" Faith heard an annoyed ex-librarian groan. Buffy went into action; she rushed behind Giles and tossed Faith a battle-ax. They all separated around the store; Buffy went for what looked to be their leader. There were no vampires of course but these were much more vicious, Faith saw what looked to be a lizard head from the back of the shop. While Faith was distracted she felt something hit her cheek. It was a large wad of green saliva. She wiped it off and swung her ax around automatically. She caught a demon with antlers in the gut as another closed in on her. The creature bared resemblance to something from the blue lagoon.

It reached only four feet tall and seemed to be dripping with water…or something else. "Bring it on shorty." Faith egged on as she backed up into fighting stance. It opened its mouth to reveal long yellow fangs as it launched another round of disgusting spit at her. She dropped to the floor as it hit a pink, hairy demon behind her in the eyes. It gave a painful scream as the spit seamed to burn through his eyeballs. The metallic blue fish-like creature leapt onto Faith; she gave it a quick and skull-splitting head-butt. It shrieked and grazed her lower torso with deadly claws. She peered helplessly at her ax only a few feet away. She grabbed its shoulders and kneed it. That seemed to work, she rolled over and snatched up her weapon and whipped it around without looking. It clanged against armored body below the kneecaps. Faith couldn't resist spitting on the dying creature, "see how you like it."

Xander could only give a "nice going" as Buffy finally snapped the neck of their leader. He noticed the progress they were making; Tara and Willow scorched their second demon already with a ball of mystical flame. He noticed Faith had also gotten two down and Spike was of course, as he would call it "rough and tumbling" with his third demon. He did the math on his fingers, there should be about only two demons left. He saw only one now with Giles against the wall. Buffy rushed up and rammed her jeweled sword into its head. She gave a sigh, "hey I thought there were like ten here?" Xander shrugged, "not a whole lot of time to count I guess." He glanced around, "hey where's Anya?" No one had time to answer as more demons came to join the party.

14: "What do you want with that book anyway?" Anya asked nervously as a fiery red demon held her throat. "Well, I needed it in the first place to find out what kills Gina." Roxy answered politely while flipping through the large engraved tome. "So now you know you need Nagourt blood…why do you still need it?" Roxy closed it up and gave a hard look at Anya, "what's with all the questions nosy?" She sighed, "I gave up on trying to find a Nagourt a long time ago. So…" She gave a perky smile, "I'm getting some help." "Well can I go now?" "Well I can't have you tattling to your little Scooby gang about my plans." She gave a nod to the thing gripping Anya, "I swear I really have no idea what's going on! So…you can just let me go now. I won't say a thing." Anya begged but the thing squeezed her neck tighter.

Dawn tried to think of what would happen if something were too ever to happen to Buffy. It wasn't the first time she thought about this; they got by just barely when she died before. But now they didn't have the convenience of a Buffy-bot. Dawn had done what she was instructed to do and hid in Giles office. She gripped the key in her now sweaty hand. Everything was pretty chaotic, more and more demons just kept coming and it looked like the gang was beginning to burn out. Hot red flares spouted from the fingers of the two powerful wiccas and enveloped three demons at once. Dawn gazed in awe, as the demons seemed to be melting down while their various unordinary mouths stood open with silent screams. Tara turned away afraid she had crossed over the boundaries of her magick as Willow couldn't help but gaze at her creation. Dawn frowned and ducked down as Buffy threw an Albino colored fishlike demon at the window of Giles office. The thing splattered against the glass with orange gooey blood, Dawn suppressed a scream as the glass cracked she wouldn't be safe for very long.

"Wait actually…we should probably keep her around." The demon dropped Anya to the ground, "but why?" He grunted like a caveman. "Well, one because I said so and two because if this messes up she's all I've got. Besides a promise is a promise and I owe her power." She gave an all too playful smile, "oh and by the way sweety don't ever question my authority again, OK?" Anya was entirely sure if that species of demon could but she could have sworn she saw the crimson lizard roll his eyes. "OK what to do first…" Roxy mumbled mostly to herself as she flipped through a couple places, "alrighty, do we have the archery sign drawn with the virgin's blood yet?" A gooey yellow one responded, "it's an anarchy sign and that's not what we're drawing. It's supposed to be an eye and no, we still haven't gotten a virgin yet…" Roxy glanced over at Anya who defended herself, "don't look at me." Roxy sighed and placed a pink manicured hand on her forehead, "well can someone explain to me why?" A bearded blue demon in burgundy robes practically groveled at her feet, "forgive us. We shall get one." "But who? I mean virginity is so fifties." The lizard demon smiled, "I know one…"

Dawn attempted to scream for Buffy as the scaly creature threw her over his shoulder. "Come with me." She kicked his chest wildly and hard he growled and ran quickly out the other side of the Magick Box. Buffy didn't hear a word as she slammed a spiky-hair demon into a wall; almost breaking through the plaster Giles had just replaced last week. Her knee collided up into his neck, breaking the trachea. She couldn't help but smile in pure relish; her adrenaline was rushing so much she didn't notice more demons pour through the doors like a stampede and five more surrounding her. They had just been looking like they were about to win, "man are they just making them out there?" Xander said, seeming to read Buffy's thoughts. "There's no way…we can keep this up." Tara gasped from the smoke coming off the scorched demon bodies. Buffy tried to think, she glanced around herself, there were maybe about twelve demons now and she couldn't be sure if more were coming, they couldn't do this alone.

She spin kicked another Albino demon and gave him a nice uppercut to go along with it. A pitch-black creature with flames spouting from a hole in his head rushed the slayer into Giles's desk; the wind was knocked out of her as a corner of it jabbed her torso. She saw from the corner of her eye that Giles had a large slash above his eyebrow allowing crimson red to drip on his once formal green sweater. Him and Xander were trying desperately to help Buffy out and she knew Tara and Willow were probably getting really burned out from the magic's…well Tara anyway. "Any last words slayer?" The snake-like demon hissed only for Buffy to hear. "How about don't breath on me?" A voice, which was not Buffy's answered on cue. The demon dropped to the ground without one other motion, as well as the other 3 demons near her. For a second Buffy thought it might have been Willow's magic until she turned around. "Thought we were on our own?" Gina shrugged, "got bored, don't have cable so I had some free time."

The once chaotic noises of crashing and demons' cries of death were now nothing more than harsh breathing. "About time bird." She heard Spike grumble, "shut up Spike." Xander replied without thought. "Well thanks for the help, so how did you-?" "Don't ask…" Gina felt reluctant to describe some of her powers, she was afraid they might fear her for them…or worse, think it was some kind of gift. "Hey Giles isn't this your key?" Xander walked out from the glass shattered office, "yes but…Buffy? Didn't you give that to Dawn?" Her lip quivered, "oh no…" Willow glanced around frantically, "and where's Anya?"

"Why are people always after my blood?" Dawn mumbled as they tied her up over the drawing of the eye. "Because you're a pure, little innocent virgin, that's hard to come by these days. You know, whether you get it yourself or on the black market…and Jeeze it is such a rip-off. They charge like 150$ an ounce-." Dawn scowled at her, "you're not helping." "I've often been told that." Anya was chained up in what looked to be a cave. Dawn couldn't remember how she had gotten there, which meant Buffy would probably have a hard time finding her too. "So exactly how much blood do they need?" The lizard like demon shrugged while having a leg crossed over the other and reading a newspaper, the mixture was very amusing. "I'm beginning to think our 'leader' is making things up as she goes along," he croaked.

In a lot of ways Roxy was very much like Harmony, except Anya knew better. Roxy may have come off as innocent as a Girl Scout, but looks were deceiving, she was dangerous. Anya could not see an opening to the cave, it wasn't very petite compared to other vampire hangouts such as this. Not a typical Sunny Dale cave, well she wasn't sure it even was Sunny Dale. The walls were solid rock; Anya considered the amount of time it had to have taken for this grotto to develop. The walls were not merely harsh and rutted but smooth and even. It did not take on a typical rectangular shape so much as a sloping spiral. It had other rooms as well; it must have been partially manmade for it to look so perfect. The only light was that reflecting off the metals, "what time is it?" Dawn moaned she seemed fairly casual despite the position she was in, perhaps because she was so used to being the damsel in distress by now. Anya attempted to pull down her forearm until she remembered her arms being chained up to the wall above her head, "well…judging by the fact that I can't see any light, it's probably pretty late."

Dawn sighed and closed her eyes, she did not look comfortable in the star position she was set in, she wore a dress that looked as old as those of the renaissance. The blouse was white and frilly with the skirt part purple and velvety. "Got to say though, liking this dress more than the one Glory had me in." Anya nodded, "yes you could start some kind of collection or wardrobe composed of the outfits you get from demons and/or gods." "I don't think Buffy would go for that-." "OK let's get this show on the road." Roxy came in with several more demons and the engraved book. "But um how do you know my blood will work? I might not be a virgin for all you know." "Dawn!" Anya scolded but Roxy gave a faint smile, "nice try but I double check-." "OK well so what, I'm also a key you know, it may ruin to whole thing." Roxy glanced over to the demon who had been practically kissing her feet, "well actually it would only enhance the spell," he replied. "Damn." Roxy opened the book and began to mutter the words; "I call upon the…blah, blah, elements of air from the East…fire from the South, water from the West and earth from the North. Oh wait…this is for something not evil skipped a few pages." The lizard groaned impatiently, "OK I think this is it.

Enemy and sister of Volvas, I call upon you to serve. Serve for I offer you freshness and purity…kind of sounds like a deodorant…anyway, to devour and take as your own…" She put out her hand and her servant handed her a jagged and gleaming dagger. "Take over the blood as your own, wash and soil it with your black aura." As Roxy stepped closer Dawn's stomach dropped, she tried to hold her abdomen back as if it would save her. She didn't hear the brave and reliable Scooby gang coming to rescue her, she didn't hear fighting or struggle, what if Buffy didn't come after all? She could hear Anya struggling from her chains behind her, "Evil arise from the grave that Volvas foolishly banished you unto. Come forth." Roxy knelt down and cut and X across her own chest and allowing her blood to drip onto Dawn, she then aimed the dagger at Dawn's chest. Dawn began to do the only thing she could, the demons hissed at her screams. Roxy ignored her protests and Dawn could feel the sharp edge of the dagger on her collarbone, it slid painfully and harshly down to her left breast. Roxy lifted the dagger and repeated the action on the opposite side, though they were shallow cuts Dawn still let tears fall in fear. "Come forth…"

Wind blew harshly around the cold desert. No life, merely sand rolling around every once in awhile. Red glared from the dozens of volcanoes, no other color. They had been inactive for thousands of years. Silence had been all there was, and the continuing red glare, this was hell. No flames spouting, no heat and no torture like oblivion but always arctic and bitter. Many of the shield volcanoes were no taller than hills except for the one that loomed far above the others. Ginger dirt swirled around near the foundation of the largest of them. But the closer to the top the more silent and motionless it was not even rocks dared to be near there. Soil did not develop here. There were neither plants nor water on this mountain, only dirt and wind. The circumference of the perforation was far larger than earth itself; blackness was all there was to be seen. Possibly miles of darkness, it would take a very long time before something was to hit the bottom in here.

A deep rumble began cracks and fissures snaked along the hard surfaces. Hot thick liquid like paint pushed up through the spaces onto the dirt. Land masses separated and split along the surface, allowing everything to fall apart and the shell to collapse. Ash exploding from the massive peak swirled and mixed with the rapid winds. It was not magma that crawled from the volcanoes, but blood. Pure blood washed down the slopes to cleanse, after hours of chaos to break the eternal silence something crept from the blood, dirt and ash. It was Evil; Evil rolled in the blood and absorbed it. Evil was back, and nothing could stop it.

Part 2  
1: Willow wasn't quite sure what she was doing, Gina told them she knew where the others were but it was in another dimension. They would have to perform a spell to travel across the dimension's border without causing all the others to spill into each other. Xander commented on how much this sounded like crossing the Mexican border. Willow suggested she grab her bag of magicks but Gina said those would not work; she had to get her own. They waited around the table for her to return. Buffy looked frustrated at the wait, but she remained silent. Her sometimes pleasant green eyes were now cold and impatient. Willow imagined the thoughts swarming through the slayer's mind at the moment, maybe something like how could I not notice? She was probably carried off right in front of me, and I didn't notice. Or maybe she was just cursing Gina's slowness at gathering her spells, herbs or whatever it was she had.

When the warlock returned Willow saw nothing in her hands except a lighter and a dagger. "But I thought-." Gina nodded, "this is it." She crossed over to Tara and Willow's chalk drawing of a fire. She knelt and muttered a few words; "visitors may witness and follow suit." It would be Buffy and Xander who would go, she wanted Willow and Tara to stay in case something went wrong. Buffy stood up and paused behind Gina, Xander did the same. "OK you'll have to follow me, don't mind the fire it won't burn you." Xander gave a laugh, "well duh-." He realized Buffy's scowl and stopped himself. Gina took up the dagger and without hesitation she made a long gash along her left forearm. She allowed a few drops on the drawing before using the lighter on it. At first, Willow wasn't sure anything would happen. After a minute flames licked up into something like a three dimensional version of the picture, although it was not red or orange but pink. The color had a cheery appeal to it. Gina bowed her head, her clothes went to the ground as not a house cat, but a panther leapt into the blaze. Buffy frowned and looked at Willow, "am I supposed to copy her or something?" She gathered up the notebook she was given and nodded, "you have to strip down…"

Both Xander and Buffy blushed, "hey uh Buff, did I mention I wasn't in the mood to wear my birthday suit in another demon dimension about now?" Buffy shook her head, "it's no big, we can't let Dawn die jut because we're a little embarrassed to show…" She shrugged, "what god gave us." She took off her jacket and was about to pull of her shirt, "um could you not look?" She was suddenly reminded of when Oz found her naked in the basement after Xander's little Valentine mishap. Surprisingly like a gentlemen Xander covered his eyes obediently. After stripping down Buffy took a step closer to the flame, she bowed her head. Instead of a human or a panther she was changed into a small coyote. The lean and yet muscular posture fit the slayer well. She disappeared into the flames with a small and ghostly howl.

Xander smiled nervously after taking off the last of his garments, "hope I don't turn into a monkey…or a hyena." Instead he became a Labrador. Faith nodded with a smirk, "there we go, he's male…so he's a dog." Tara shrugged, "or he's just loyal." Xander disappeared in the flames as well with a more friendly howl than Buffy's had been. The inferno made a crackling sound and ice ran along it to freeze it up. "Is that supposed to happen?" Giles seemed troubled; "I guess so…" The flames now looked like an ice sculpture, it didn't seem like it would melt even in the California heat.

2: Eve was almost knocked over with everything coming back at her at once. Everything was happening too fast…for her anyway. Her head ached but that did not damper her spirit, she knew what to do right away. She wanted desperately to return to the world that Gina had banished her from but she had to gather up materials. She was careful to walk around the steam spewing from various parts of the cave; well it was actually a volcano. She could hear the beast howling even before she had made her way down the seemingly bottomless climb. Others would have shuttered or cringed at the monster's deep and throaty warnings, but she had nothing to lose, not really. She kept close to the walls now that she was past the dangerous fumes and paced herself for whenever it might come charging at her. She heard a snort and abruptly the howls stopped, silence was not something to be trusted. Eve craved the moment where she would plunge her dagger into the Nagourt and twist it around for good measure. It had been how long since her last kill? It felt like an eternity, but now Gina would get a taste.

She could barely keep from trembling with excitement; she had so many plans. Normally she thought the vengeance demon a little prick, but she would repay her for this. Although she had no intention of allowing Roxy the pleasure of finishing Gina off, she could have that little slayer for all she cared, but the warlock was hers. She squatted down in the dark red light that seemed to come from nowhere. Sweat dripped down from her palm that gripped the dagger tightly. She could feel the engraved markings dig into her hand and leave impressions. The creature's breathing was coming closer, it was a little confused and a little afraid, and Eve could smell it coming off of it like alcohol. Luckily she herself had no use for breathing, after so many years fangs wedged their way through her gums. Her forehead wrinkled, she would not only kill it she was going to feed off of it. Of course she wouldn't devour it, she needed to save some of the blood. She could hear the faint sound of a large claw connecting with the repeatedly weathered and compressed rock cautiously. She could feel its presence just around the corner. Her thighs and calves twitched wanting desperately to lunge, but she would wait a few seconds more.

When she finally saw one foot the size of it astonished her, no wonder this creature was so valued. In an odd way it was lovely, a mixture of silver, purple, blue and green. It looked like a cross between a dragon and a snake; the long, smooth tail had been dragging along behind it, now it whipped it up to strike this intruder. Eve dropped to the ground and rolled to a small cavern with long minerals hanging down like icicles. She flipped up; the thing was rather fast for its size and was already roaring toward her, now she was beginning to think she should have brought something more than a dagger with her. Its fangs were much larger than hers were; they were black but not filthy. She could see the hate and anger concealed beneath its slit jade eyes. It brought around its trunk of a tail once more, this time Eve did not dodge, but grabbed onto it fiercely. She could feel the gravity disappear when she was lifted off the ground and flew around the cave. She dug her claws deep into its scales and remarkably actually penetrated far enough to strike blood. The silver poured out like some kind of nail polish and gushed all over Eve's hands. The cry was even more hateful this time and Eve only laughed. She was about to bite into the tail before she collided with the cave walls.

She dropped to the floor harshly; the Nagourt did not bring around its tail again but decided to try and chew right into her. She grabbed its jaws, feeling the slobber cleanse over the blood now and feeling the teeth there even more. She yanked ruthlessly when it tried to pull away and only twisted its jaw up more. The shriek was right in her ear this time; she could feel the jowl unhinge and fall out of place. Now it tried to use what it had left, claws clobbered her in the abdomen. This time it was Eve who cried out, she did not hesitate she ducked under its belly and gored it with the dagger, it did not make much progress at first but she continued to stab over and over again until a waterfall of hoary blood came down on her. She still did not stop; she pushed her way up to the heart as it began to fall from demise, this time the blood was not a pleasant silver but a black-red. It was much thicker and without any glittery texture.

She did not notice that she was actually breathing now, heavy like she had just run a marathon. She considered the journey back through the caves and the climb; even then she would still have to make her way through the earthquakes and harsh winds and rivers of virgin blood. She sighed and hoped Roxy would not disappoint.

3: "That was it? You didn't even have to kill her?" Roxy barely noticed them now; she had not taken her eyes off of where Dawn had laid. "It's enough blood for Eve to stay temporarily anyway," the demon who had practically been kissing Roxy's feet now replied. "Well, then what?" Anya was questioning, Dawn had not waken up since she was cut, although she was breathing. "The warlock will be her replacement." It seemed much colder in the cave and austere winds had come by every now and then. "Well, what's taking so long?" The bearded demon bowed his head making the ends of his beard touch his toes, "she is doing as you bid, getting the blood you will need."

With a sigh Roxy sat down on the only cushioned chair in the room, "well, that's good I suppose, just hope she understands the warlock is mine-." Anya gave one small bark a laugh, "what exactly is so funny? You're chained up," Anya blinked fearfully for a moment and for once was not honest about what was really on her mind, "sorry. Just remembered something really funny…" Roxy glared for a few more moments before standing up and walking out. Anya knew better Eve would not let anyone else hurt Gina, and anyone who disobeyed would pay severely.

In the shadow of an immense mountain sat two cold Scoobies and one potential warlock. She had them turned back in human form to search for the extremely scarce firewood, they would return to their canine shapes at night when they slept in the cold. "The fur will keep you warmer." "Which of us will keep watch first?" Buffy questioned as Xander was awed by the mass behind them; its peak was invisible to him it seemed to pass up the clouds. "Me and only me, don't worry I'm not trying to be Ms. Macho and prove myself it's just I physically don't really need sleep." Buffy had an eyebrow raised for a moment, "OK." Xander was relieved if he was to spend this time with the powerful females he didn't want to have to referee every time one was on a power trip. "So why'd we stop so soon and doesn't even look like dusk yet."

Gina glanced around, "yes, well I have a feeling it doesn't actually get dark here, only gray and cloudy 24/7, I'm sure it's dark in their cave though." No one questioned how she might know that, "I'm not really tired though-." "That's fine, but it doesn't mean you can't sit and rest, when you're ready to…change just go behind that rock and remove your clothing you'll automatically become…furry." It was not so much as a rock as a giant bolder, which gave plenty of room for privacy. "I don't mind the resting…it's just what about Dawn?" Gina prodded the fire a little bit considering if they might be hungry, "she'll be fine they won't kill her. Not Anya either, they've probably decided it's best to keep Anya around as bait, and Dawn…they need her-."

"For what? Is this another one those Glory things?" Gina shook her head, "they'll barely cut her at all, I know that sounds harsh but they've done it already anyway…I can feel it. She'll be fine they both will, are you guys hungry? You should probably let me know now, there are less appetizing things the deeper into the night we get." Xander wasn't so sure he wanted fresh foreign demon meat, "Sure I'm curious to see what's edible around here." Gina nodded at Buffy and for the first in a long time she genuinely smiled, "I guess we should all go, no one should be alone, go ahead and change…then we'll hunt." Xander went first to do his changing, he glanced around not expecting anything monstrous but more something small and odd like something made by Jim Hanson. Gina had done a calling spell for all their clothing automatically which was somewhat of a relief. Not that Xander couldn't appreciate being alone with two naked women, but the cold wasn't very…flattering. He removed his shoes and socks, before he could remove his shirt as well a harsh thunder cut across the dreary landscape.

"Can you say gulp?" He tried not to take the change in weather as a bad omen, if there was rain it might ruin the fire, but they did have that fur to rely on. Just as he set down his boxers he could feel the change once more. He briefly thought if maybe this was how Oz felt before he changed. No, probably not. The werewolf felt urges and needs greater than any dog. But his sense of smell was stronger, he could sense a storm coming on and he could sense food, somewhere out there was food. His thoughts did not run together quite the same, they were shorter, sometimes just one word, 'food, storm, food." A sharp whistle cut through his thoughts, he ran toward it obediently, Buffy walked past him a little eager for her turn to change as Gina still sat at the fire waiting. He felt compelled to sit near her, possibly for the chance to get scratched behind the ears. It was crazy but insistent, he wanted attention and affection and to please. It really wasn't so different from his usual urges. He sat at her side briefly getting a whiff a cat, but only brief it was quickly buried by dozens of other scents.

A sharp howl pierced the sky; normally a dog's hackles would go up at the sound they did not get along so well with their distant cousins. But he was calm and friendly when Coyote Buffy came trotting out from behind the boulder. He was still Xander and he still recognized one as his friend and the other as a potential friend. Gina did not feel the need for the shelter of the boulder as Xander did not feel the need to stare at her naked body, in the form none of that mattered to him, he only wanted the companionship of the coyote and oddly enough the panther and to hunt. So off the three went, with no one to witness the peculiar scene they crossed the terrain with one thing on their minds.


End file.
